While covering my area for the NYSOA January Waterfowl count this morning, I encountered 4 COMMON REDPOLLS feeding among 10-12 American Goldfinches at Bayard Cutting Arboretum. The flock was feeding on the "cones" in alders down near the Connetquot River, at the far end of the lawn downhill from the manor house. They eventually flew across the lawn toward a nearby stand of trees that also contained alders. This sighting was particularly satisfying in that for years I've been fantasizing/hoping/speculating/expecting that I'd eventually find Redpolls feeding at this location during an irruption year. There are good numbers of alders and birches growing along the river, mostly concentrated where I saw the birds today, and farther upriver as you approach Paradise Cove. I reasoned that if I was ever going to find Redpolls On Long Island somewhere other than along the barrier beaches, this would be a likely spot. My hunch finally paid off. Woo hoo!
Photos of the Redpolls can be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jgluth_brb/ John Gluth Islip -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
